


What I First Thought

by UnrealRomance



Series: Impressions and Deductions [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Thane's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-09 01:19:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5520113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnrealRomance/pseuds/UnrealRomance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is basically Femshep and Thane's first meeting from Thane's POV.</p><p>Too many people write him all poetic about Shepard when they first meet, and I think that's wrong. Thane is naturally poetic, but he's still not sure about Shepard when she walks in the front doors.</p><p>So this is just a little Drabble from his point of view that I thought was maybe more realistic.</p><p>Pre-Relationship. I might write more later, who knows?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What I First Thought

I bow my head and clasp my hands, awareness of her and her companions echoed in the tension of my body. My body will always fight to live, long past the time my spirit has given in. It is the way of the physical world.

' _Kalahira-'_

"Thane Krios?"

"Apologies, prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken." My eyes roll up to glance at her, and her expression smooths out.

' _She is wicked, but so is her destroyer. She has been wronged, like many others. Forgive me for my transgression and welcome her into your tender embrace.'_

"She certainly was wicked." Her voice is hesitant, but forthright. She sees the truth in her words but is sorry for them.

My brow furrows, "not for her, for me." I lift my head and open my eyes, taking a second look at this group. These people that have stormed the castle in search of the wicked assassin. "The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone."

I move around the desk where Nassana's still-warm body bleeds, years of training behind my every movement. I was trained to be a weapon, a tool that my Hanar contacts could use to fullest utility. Assassination was not the only skill I learned. "Take you for instance. All this destruction- chaos."

As I step out into the open, I sense the tension in the room elevate. I step in front of the desk to keep distance for now. She glances at Nassana's body with a crinkled brow. I look as well. I see the same thing, though perhaps in different context. "I was curious to see how far you'd go to find me."

I turn and stare into her eyes. "Well... Here I am."

"So instead of running, or possibly taking a shot at me while we were just standing here- you want to talk." She lifts a brow, intrigue written all over her face "Did you know we were coming?" Her eyes are squinted to correct for the sun behind me.

"Not until you marched in the front door and started shooting." I could control the disdain in my voice, but I choose not to. I walk to stand in front of the Turian on her left. He tenses, but his grip on the Paladin in his hand is neither shaky nor unsure. He is a veteran. I allow myself a close inspection of him while I speak.

"Nassana became paranoid and off-balance. Her guard force was only one indication of her unhinged state." I blink and glance at her. "She thought one of her sisters would kill her."

Her expression isn't surprised, I take it she knew Nassana- going by the little chat they had while I waited overhead in the duct.

"You. Were a valuable distraction." The Turian is military, obviously. As is she. The female Quarian on her other side as well, the shotgun her weapon of choice.

"You used me to kill her." Her words are a bit irritated, but there is a certain acceptance to them. Odd.

"I needed a diversion, _you_ needed to speak with me." At a glance, she doesn't appear to be very angry.

A single bob of her head in the Turian's direction and his gun is put away. The Quarian disarms as well. A practiced signal, almost instinctual movements. These people have been together for a long while. Perhaps they are not the ex-military thugs they at first appeared to be.

"You certainly fulfilled your end of the bargain. What would you like to discuss?" I turn to face her completely. The Turian would be a challenge, but the Quarian could be disarmed in seconds. The human, on the other hand... Something about her relaxed posture and facial expression tells me she's at home on the battlefield. Perhaps not close quarters like this, there's no way to tell as of yet.

"Human colonies are being... abducted." An odd little quiver in her mouth suggests she finds it funny, but doesn't want to. "They disappear without a trace."

I walk toward the desk, and look out the window as she speaks. A human and alien crew, investigating human disappearances. Why would they need me?

"We caught a break, and found out who was behind the disappearances. A race called the Collectors." Her voice is sure, but her words are not. As if they baffle her.

Though I suppose they would baffle anyone. What I know of them is... certainly not illuminating as to their nature. I close my eyes and recall the last time I encountered Collector information. It isn't much, and the stockpile I could collect wouldn't be much more. "I've heard of them." The fact that she is here with a very obvious show of power can only mean- "Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega-4 Relay." I half turn back, twisting to watch her expression and gauge the other two as well. "No ship has ever returned from doing so."

The Turian's expression is unsurprised, as is the Quarian. They all know the stakes of the mission they've undertaken.

She speaks with conviction. "They told me it was impossible to get to Ilos too." A small smirk.

"Fair point." I am surprised at the mirth in my own voice. One of her talents I suppose. I had heard about her quite a lot in the past few years. Especially about her death. "You built a career out of performing the impossible."

I turn back and close my eyes, allowing the warmth of the sun to seep in. One of the many small pleasures I deny myself on these jobs. I should be up front with this team. This mission could take longer than I have to complete, I could cause complications. "This was to be my last job. I'm dying."

"From?" A glance at her shows an expression of concern, so blatantly genuine it surprises me. We have just met and she is sorry I will soon die. It seems the stories of her compassion were true. I wonder about the rest of the rumors.

"It's a lung condition, you needn't worry. It isn't communicable, even to other Drell. It will still be some time before I am unable to function."

"Is there anything I can do?" I would be amused, if she weren't quite so _earnest_.

"Not much _to_ do. It's terminal, there is no cure. But, your mission..." I turn to face her, her own body shifting to mirror me. "Your missing human colonists, that interests me. The Universe is a dark place, as I'm sure you know."

She nods and glances at Nassana.

"I'm trying to make it brighter before I die." I reach out and she grasps my hand without hesitation. "I will join you."

"Great, cause if all this effort was for nothing-" The Turian speaks and Shepard throws him an irate look. "What?"

"Happy to have you aboard Sere Krios." She rolls her eyes at him but no admonishments are made. We release hands and I step back- allowing a warm, serene expression to fall over my face.

' _It seems the universe still has need of me.'_


End file.
